Banjo



Anp-Til 1, 1930. c. L. DEWEY 1,752,788

BANJO Filed April 12. 1926 Clarence L. ewey Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE L. DEWEY, 0F ELKIEIABT, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 OUI'ING MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F ELKHART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION BANJO Application led April 12,

This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to an improved banjo wherein the neck is secured to a housing comprising upper and lower sections, separa-ted by a suitable felt pad to prevent .vibrations and chattering, the said upper section formed with an integral flange having sound outlet openings therein while the upper portion of the upper housing section is provided with an integral annular bead or rib over which the diaphragm or skin head is stretched to aord a dead air space under the head adapted to kill over-tones.

-It is an object of this invention to provide an improved banjo or similar instrument with abutting housing sections, one of which is provided with suitable sound outlet openings.

It is also an obj ect of this invention to provide a banjo wherein the upper housing section or body is provided with an integral outwardly directed sound escaping flange and with an integral inwardly directed corrugated portion over which the skin head is adapted to be stretched.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved banjo or similar in- 'strument of simplified construction and adapted to be readily assembled with the casing or upper body section, being constructed to aiord an apertured beaded flange for receiving the lower body section and with an integral corrugated portion over which the' skin head is adapted to be stretched with said corrugated portion affording a 'dead air vspace tending to overcome over-tones.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the speciiication and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings: y

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a banjo embodying the principles of this invention with va portion of the neck broken away.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the banjo taken on line II-II of Figure 1 1926. Serial No. 101,305.

llinger board having an integral neck portion 2 provided with a recess 3 for receiving the reduced end 4 of a dowel 5 which acts as a brace member. Enclosing the dowel 5 and secured to the neck portion 2 is a metal casing or upper body section 6, the upper margin of which is curled orbent inwardly to aord an outer ring or bead 7 and an inner annular tone bead or rib 8 disposed in a plane slightly higher than the plane of the outer bead 7. The two beads 7 and 8 afford a groove or space 9 therebetween.

Stretched over the tone bead 8 is a diaphragm or skin head 10 the outer portion of which passes over the outer beadl or rib 7 and is engaged around a flesh wire or annular ring 11. Engaged around the upper portion of the upper casing section above the wire ring 11 is a retaining band or hoop 12. Movably engaged on the retaining band or hoop 12 are a plurality of equidistantly spaced tensioning screw hooks 13 the lower ends of which are threaded for the purpose of receiving bolts or nuts 1a. Mounted upon the skin head 10 is the usual bridge 14a and a plurality of strings 15 which extend from 80 outer end of the dowel 5 by means of a screw 18 or other suitable means.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 2 it will .be noted that the lower margin of the upper rcasing section 6 is formed to provide an integral outwardly directed iiaiige or ring 19, the 4margin of which is rolled downwardly and upwardly to afford an annular rim or bead 20. The inner margin Vot the outer bead 2O stops short of the under face of the flange 19 to permit an annular felt washer or pad 21 to be seated against the under surface of said iange with the outer margin of the washer projecting into the bead 20. The ange 19 is provided with a plurality of sound escape openings 22, 23, and 24 of different sizes. It will of course be understood that the number, shape and size of the sound escape openings or apertures in the upper casing section flange 19 may be varied as desired. Seated against the under surface oi the upper casing section iiange 19 where it joins the upper casing section 6 is a metal strengthening ring or continuous washer 25 having a plurality of spaced apertures therein to permit the lower threadedendsofthe retaining hooks 13 to project therethrough for the purpose of receiving the retaining nuts 14.

' The retaining hooks 13 project through suitable apertures 26 provided at spaced intervals around the inner marginal portion of the iiange 19. It will thus be seen that by threading the nuts 14 onto the lower ends of the hooks 13 that the retaining bead or ring may be secured in position to cause adjustment of the skin head 10. rIhe washer ring 25 acts not only as a washer for the nuts 14 but serves the additional purpose of greatly strengthening the upper body section of the banjo. As shown in Figure 2 the lower threaded portion of the tail-piece bolt 17 projects through suitable apertures in the {ia-nge 19 and in the washer ring 25 and has a nut 27 engaged on the lower end thereof for the purpose of holding the tail-piece securely in position.

Positioned beneath the upper casing section 6 is a lower casing section 28 of concave shape having the middle portion thereof depressed to form an apertured socket or pocket 29 through which a retaining screw 3() projects with the inner end of said screw engaged in the dowel 5 to removably hold the lower casing section 28 secured in position. If desired the lower casing section 28 may be provided with a plurality of openings 31 to permit access to be had to the nuts 14 of the retaining hooks 4'13 without requiring the removal of the lower casing section 28 from engagement with the upper casing section. In-

tegrally formedY on the outer margin of the lowerv kcasing section 28 is an upwardly directed rim or cylindrical wall 32, the edge of which seats against the felt washer or pad 21 to the inside of the annular outer bead 20. The felt pad or ring 21 thus serves as a means to prevent vibrations or chattering when the Vinstrument is played. Y

It will of course be understood that if desired the openings 31 in the lower casing section may be omitted, in which case the nuts V14 VVmay be readily adj usted' by simply removing the retaining master screw 8O to permit removal ofthe lower casing section 28.

' rected iiange, and

la membrane,

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A banjo comprising a linger board, a neck formed thereon, an upper casing section securedl to said neck,a plurality of concentric ribs integrally formed on the upper portion ot'said casing section, a skin head disposed over said concentric ribs, means for tensioning the skin head with said skin head serving to form a dead air space between said concentric ribs, a bridge disposed on said head, strings positioned above the finger board and passing over said bridge, a tail-piece on said upper casing section to which the strings are attached, an apertured outwardly directed flange integrally formed on said upper casing section, an apertured continuous reenforcing washer engaged against said flange, hook bolts for tensioning the skin head and projecting through said apertured iange and through said continuous reenforcing washer, a felt pad positioned against said apertured upper casing section flange, and a lower casing section removably secured in position against said pad. Y Y

2. In a banjo, an upper sheet metal casing consisting of a cylindrical portion having an upper inturned flange substantially at'right angles to the cylindrical portion vand having a lower outwardly directed perforated ange substantially. at right angles to said cylindrical portion, a membrane, means for stretching said membrane over said upper inturned iiange, telescopic relation with said outwardly dia neck secured to said upper casing Vand supported upon said outwardly directed flange.v

3. In a banjo, an upper sheet metal memf ber having a substantially cylindrical body portion with an upper inturned lange substantially at right angles to the body portion to provide a stretching seat for a membrane,

means for stretching said membrane over said seat, saidvsheet metalmember having a lower outwardly directed perforated ange, a neck supported upon said outwardly directed flange and secured to said member, and a lower sheet metal member havingV an outwardly` directed iiange in tting relation with said outwardly directed flange and means for removably securing said lower member in such fitting relation. Y

a lowercasing member having -iio 4. In a banjo,A an upper annular metal i125 member having an upper inturned flange so formed as to provide a stretching seat, a membrane, means for stretching said membranejover said seat, a dowel extending transve'rsely of said member, said metal member having an integral lower outwardly directed perforated flange, a lower member, a screw for securing said lower member to said dowel, said upper member and lower member having intertting parts adapted for centering said lower member for inserting said screw, and a neck secured to said member and resting upon said outwardly directed flange.

5. In a banjo, an upper annular metal member having an inturned flange so formed as to provide a membrane stretching seat, a membrane, means for stretching said membrane over said seat, said member having an integral outwardly directed perforated flange, a transverse dowel in said member having a threaded aperture, a lower member having a screw aperture, a rim intertting with the rst member for centering said lower member for aligning said apertures, and a screw for securing said lower member to said dowell.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CLARENCE L. DEWEY. 

